As John Lennon so pointedly asks “So..this Christmas…and what have we done?  Another year over and a new one just begun”.   When I hear this lyric I feel slight slacker panic.  What REALLY have I done this year?  My knee jerk reaction would be to say that there have been losses and gains this year.  There has been hurt and there has been healing.  I haven’t blogged much, mostly pictures with captions. There have been blog posts that are hidden in the crevices of my heart and mind.  I’m still….but I’m here.  So why don’t I remember the details of 2013?  At the end of each year I like to dig back into the calendar to see….what has this year brought?

January:  I subbed in special education classrooms, a challenging, but rewarding experience.  I grow new appreciation for my children. My oldest son dances in his school talent show.

February:  I babysat a lot.  I attended my first same-sex civil ceremony and it was beautiful.

March:  A Chicago trip to wrap up the last of my talk show phase.  This time my boys appear . I’m getting more comfortable with my food monitor job, but still learning.

April:  Lots of dance competitions.  I lose a dear Uncle, I gain a precious niece.

May:  Another semester of community college adjunct teaching wraps up.  I buy a car.

June:  Head to the Dells for a successful dance Nationals.  I complete my Ed.S.

July: Summer with the kids in full gear.  I see beautiful fireworks. I replace a busted car mirror.

August: My youngest starts preschool..then she gets her tonsils out.  I become a soccer mom.  The school drop off and pick ups baffle me a bit.

September: I turn 37.  I attend a blogging conference in Ohio. Lake Erie is beautiful. I come home and pull 2 wisdom teeth.  Later celebrate 14^th Wedding anniversary.

October:  My oldest makes his Confirmation.  I’m a dance mom again.  Parenting responsibilities are in full gear with appointments, conferences, field trips, and the all the rest.

November:  I have a teenager now.  The process of letting go begins. 

December:  I wrap up a year of working, teaching, learning, growing, loving and parenting.  The holidays come and I am grateful.  My children are young and the Santa spirit is in ¾ of the kids still.  I am aware that many are hurting in a way that I have not truly realized in years past.  I realize that life is precious.

So that is 2013…for me.  I hope yours was also a year of working, teaching, learning, loving and growing.  Wishing you all a wonderful 2014!